Home of the Brave: Honoring the Unsung Heroes in the War on Terror [Hardcover]

Caspar Weinberger (Author), Wynton C. Hall (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0765313030 | ISBN-13: 978-0765313034 | Publication Date: May 16, 2006 | Edition: First Edition

They are nineteen of the most highly decorated soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines in the United States military, and yet most Americans don't even know their names. In this riveting, intimate account, former Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and Wynton C. Hall tell stories of jaw-dropping heroism and hope in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Home of the Brave takes readers beyond the bullets and battles and into the hearts and minds of the men and women who are fighting terrorists overseas so that America doesn't have to fight them at home. These are the powerful, true-life stories of the hopes, fears, and triumphs these men and women experienced fighting the War on Terror. But more than that, these are the stories of soldiers who risked everything to save lives and defend freedom. Including:

*Lieutenant Colonel Mark Mitchell, the Green Beret leader whose 15-man Special Forces team took 500 Al Qaeda and Taliban prisoners, and posthumously repatriated the body of the first American to die in combat in the War on Terror, CIA agent Johnny "Mike" Spann.

*Army National Guard Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester, the first woman ever to be awarded the Silver Star for combat, whose sharp-shooting and bravery played an enormous role in fighting off over fifty Iraqi insurgents while her ten-person squad protected a convoy of supplies on the way to fellow soldiers.

*Sergeant Rafael Peralta, a Mexican immigrant, enlisted in the Marines the same day he received his green card. Wounded from enemy fire, Peralta used his body to smother the blast of an enemy grenade and gave his life so that his marine brothers could live.

These real-life heroes remind us of American history's most enduring lesson: Ours would not be the land of the free if it were not also the home of the brave.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

U.S. soldiers are fighting for our nation's survival, yet too many Americans couldn't care less, according to former secretary of defense Weinberger and Hall (coauthor with Richard Wirthlin of The Greatest Communicator: What Ronald Reagan Taught Me About Politics, Leadership, and Life). The fault lies with the liberal media, they add, which denigrates the military's valor and disparages America's war on terrorism. The authors aim to counter this misinformation with stories of 19 soldiers decorated for actions (rescuing endangered comrades or killing large numbers of the enemy) in Iraq and Afghanistan. Weinberger and Hall detail these accounts in breathless, overheated prose ("Rafael Peralta was not born in America, but he died defending her") and quote many fervent patriotic declarations plus expressions of love for democracy, commanders, wives, parents and God. These 19 soldiers—and the authors—believe absolutely that America's cause ("defending freedom") is just. Each chapter concludes with the official written citation that accompanied the soldier's medal. Readers searching for a deeper understanding of the war will end up no wiser. (May 16)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Finally! The stories about our military heroes we've all been waiting to read. One of the most important books yet written about the War on Terror. Heart-pounding action filled with humanity and hope."--Sean Hannity on Home of the Brave

"The authors have assembled a wonderful collection of reports of the extraordinary heroism of America's servicemen and women in the War on Terror, reminding us not only of the sacrifices of the men and women in uniform and their families, but of the enormous debt the rest of us owe them for the service that "We the People" have asked them to undertake for us."--General John W. Vessey, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Home of the Brave

"Riveting sagas of extraordinary heroism in combat by members of our Armed Forces during one of the most difficult, frustrating and critical conflicts in our history. A must read for all Americans who care about the future."--General P.X. Kelley, USMC (Ret.) 28th Commandant of the Marine Corps on Home of the Brave

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Forge Books; First Edition edition (May 16, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765313030
• ISBN-13: 978-0765313034
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,569,203 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Songs for heroes unsung, May 25, 2006

By 

Greyhawk - See all my reviews

This review is from: Home of the Brave: Honoring the Unsung Heroes in the War on Terror (Hardcover)

Having read "Home of the Brave" I'd categorize the book as an essential component to any complete study of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The stories of the men and women contained in those pages should be well known. They are far more representative of the caliber of my fellow Iraq war veterans than most of those whose names have unfortunately become household words - fixed forever with the places (Abu Ghraib) they made notorious.

Regarding the Publisher's Weekly review above, "The fault lies with the liberal media, they add..." But Hall and Weinberger aren't alone in this criticism. The New York Times has acknowledged the same shortfall in coverage. (Though it's only fair to note that local papers do a wonderful job of covering the stories of heroes - and aren't afraid to call them heroes.

But the review above brings an entirely different tone to the debate - sneering at the "breathless prose" used to describe those who "believe absolutely that America's cause ("defending freedom") is just".

"Readers searching for a deeper understanding of the war will end up no wiser" - true, if "deeper understanding" is code for validation of their own misconceptions. This is exactly the sort of book that people seeking a full understanding of the war should read - along with many others that deal with other specifics - and I'm curious as to why Publisher's Weekly seems so frightened by the prospect that they might. It's no surprise that the media will fixate on their own brief mention in this book, but those who actually read it will discover it's about heroes - not reporters.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nineteen Unforgettable Heroes, May 24, 2006

By 

Blackfive (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Home of the Brave: Honoring the Unsung Heroes in the War on Terror (Hardcover)

I've mentioned to all of my friends and family, that Home of the Brave: Honoring the Unsung Heroes in the War on Terror is a must read.

Liberal critics will hate it, but people that support our troops and that want to know about the good that our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines are doing will absolutely love this book. In fact, many of the heroes in Home of the Brave will be known to readers of MilBlogs.

There are nineteen heroes featured by Cap Weinberger and Wyn Hall. They represent all services and are among the highest decorated individuals from the War on Terror.

Right out of the gate, Home of the Brave talks about the heroism of Captain Brian Chontosh, featured before on Blackfive.net, whose Marine team slid into a trench full of Iraqi Soldiers during the invasion, using enemy weapons after they ran out of ammo. Rafael Peralta is featured in the book. Peralta, a Mexican immigrant who enlisted in the Marines, was hit by enemy fire and then used his body to absorb the blast of an enemy grenade to save his fellow Marines. And Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester, the first woman to receive the Silver Star since WWII, is included too.

Cap Weinberger and Wynton Hall do more than just retell these tales of heroism, they interview the survivors of the engagements and their family and friends, and they put humanity into words like valor and courage...

If you are regular visitor of MilBlogs or you just want to know more about the heroes from the War on Terror, you will love Home of the Brave.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read, May 19, 2006

By 

Andi "Andi" (Virginia USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Home of the Brave: Honoring the Unsung Heroes in the War on Terror (Hardcover)

As the wife of a deployed soldier, I'm often dismayed by the media coverage of the War on Terror, which is long on violence and short on reality. Home of the Brave gives us a chance to turn our attention to the the exceptional heroism, bravery and courage of our troops who are putting their lives on the line each and every day to defend freedom worldwide.

The stories of these nineteen heroes are nothing short of amazing. This book is written in such a powerful fashion that I felt as if I were on the battlefield alongside our troops. After you read this book, you will be left with a sense of pride that we have such incredible men and women in our Armed Forces. Men and women who represent the finest that America has to offer.

Sean Hannity says this book is one of the most important books written on the War on Terror. I couldn't agree more. Most of us have been clamoring for more literature like Home of the Brave. It's long overdue, but now we have it. Do yourself a favor, buy a copy of Home of the Brave, and tell your friends about it. I feel very lucky to have "met" nineteen heroes, and I thank Wynton Hall (and the late Casper Weinberger) for giving me the opportunity.